English Standard Version
Genesis 20:7
7Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours."
Genesis 20:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
- New International Version (NIV)Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Now return the woman to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don’t return her to him, you can be sure that you and all your people will die.”
Context of Genesis 20:7
5Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this." 6Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours." 8So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things. And the men were very much afraid. 9Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done."
Read all of Genesis 20Genesis 20:7 word by word
וְעַתָּ֗ה הָשֵׁ֤ב אֵֽשֶׁת־הָאִישׁ֙ כִּֽי־נָבִ֣יא ה֔וּא וְיִתְפַּלֵּ֥ל בַּֽעַדְךָ֖ וֶֽחְיֵ֑ה וְאִם־אֵֽינְךָ֣ מֵשִׁ֗יב דַּ֚ע כִּי־מ֣וֹת תָּמ֔וּת אַתָּ֖ה וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־לָֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now therefore restoreשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- a prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- and he shall prayפָּלַלpâlal · to prayH6419
- for theeבַּ֫עַדbe‛ad · about/through/forH1157
- and thou shalt liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
- not, knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- thou that thou shalt surelyמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
Cross-references for Genesis 20:7
- 1 Samuel 10:1Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, "Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage.
- 1 Kings 18:1After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth."
- 1 Corinthians 14:4The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.
- Exodus 4:16He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him.
- Exodus 7:1And the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet.
- Exodus 12:1The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
- Exodus 18:17Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good.
- 1 Chronicles 16:22saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"
- Psalms 25:14The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.
- Psalms 105:9the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac,
- Hebrews 1:1Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
- Leviticus 6:4if he has sinned and has realized his guilt and will restore what he took by robbery or what he got by oppression or the deposit that was committed to him or the lost thing that he found
- 1 Samuel 7:5Then Samuel said, "Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you."
- 1 Samuel 12:19And all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king."
- 2 Samuel 24:17Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, "Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father's house."
- 1 Kings 13:6And the king said to the man of God, "Entreat now the favor of the Lord your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me." And the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king's hand was restored to him and became as it was before.
Commentaries on Genesis 20:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7He is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee - The word prophet, which we have from the Greek , and which is compounded of , before, and , I speak, means, in its general acceptation, one who speaks of things before they happen, i.e., one who foretells future events. But that this was not the original notion of the word, its use in this place sufficiently proves. Abraham certainly was not a prophet in the present general acceptation of the term, and for the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-18Verses 1-18 - Abraham in Gerar 2. אבימלך .2 'ǎbı̂ymelek Abimelekh, “father of the king.” 7. נביא nābı̂y' “prophet,” he who speaks by God, of God, and to God, who declares to people not merely things future, but also things past and present, that are not obvious to the sense or the reason; related: “flow, go forth.” 13. התעוּ hı̂t‛û is plural in punctuation, agreeing grammatically with אלהים 'ĕlohı̂ym ו (w), however, may be regarded as the third…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Abraham's prayer saved the king's life and restored his family (20:17–18). Abimelech learned that Abraham's God was sovereign (meaning God has complete power and authority over everything). Abraham, as God's prophet, received God's messages and would pray for others (see Numbers 12:13; Deuteronomy 9:20). This was true even if he did not always act like a prophet.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-181. Abraham journeyed from thence ... and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur--Leaving the encampment, he migrated to the southern border of Canaan. In the neighborhood of Gerar was a very rich and well-watered pasture land.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 20:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries